Rotary engine.



Nd. 700,557. Patented May 20, 1902.

T. J PERRIN.

RQTABY ENGINE. (Application filed Feb. 10, 1902.)

(No Model.) I 2 Shaefs-Shoet I.

akmnuio m: NORRIS PETERS 00V PNOYDUIYHOHWASHINGTON w c NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. PERRIN, OF KOSHKONONG, MISSOURI.

ROTARYENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7o o,557, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed February 10,1902. Serial-No. 93,400. (No model.)

do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and has for its object to provide an engine of this character which has no centers, which has a continuous motion under practically the same pressure at all times, and which permits of the expansive action of the steam.

The invention consists of certain novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims. 7

A practical embodiment of theinvention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a central verticalsection taken on the line 1 1 of'Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a'vertical section taken at right angles to-Fig. 1, the plane of section being indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.- Fig. 3 isasection ontheline 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a-section on theline 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the disks or: heads. v Fig. 6 is aside view of the piston-disk.

. Referring 'now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents the eugine-cylinder; 2, the driving-shaft; 3, the admission-port, and 4 the exhaust-port. These parts maybe of any approved form and construction to suit the purpose and any desired expansive motor fluid may be used.

Keyed upon the shaft 2 are two frusto-conical heads 5, whose convex surfaces are inwardly disposed and face each other. These heads are provided upon the inner or convex faces with radial recesses 6 to receive the edges of win gs or vanes 7 which are thusfix'ed' .to the heads to turn-therewith and with the shaft 2. These vanes form a series of pockets 8 for the steam or expansive fluid.

Arranged between the two heads 5 is a piston-disk 9, which is provided upon its opposite sides with rounded journals or bearingbosses=lO,which seat and turn within bearingso'ckets-ll, formed in the flattened centers of the convex faces of the said heads 5. The disk is loose upon the shaft 2, but is made to turn therewith through the instrumentality of the vanesor win gs 7, which extend through radial transverse slots 12, formed in said disk. The peripheral edge of the piston-diskfits land travels in an annular groove 13, formed in the cylinder 1, which groove is disposed at a diagonal angle to the transverse axial line of said cylinder in a plane at right angles to the shaft 2. A packing-ring 14 around the edge of the disk prevents the escape of steam from one to the other side of said disk. By the construction above described it will be seen that each pocket 8 is formed by two contiguous vanes or wings 7, the piston-disk 9, and the convex oriflaring face of one of the heads 5. The bosses 10 have flaring bores 15, which permit them to have the necessary play on the shaft 2.

In the operation of the engine the heads 5 and vanes or wings fixed thereto travel in a path at right angles to the direction in which the shaft 2 extends," while the disk 9 travels in a plane at a diagonal angle thereto, by means of which said disk is caused to act as a cut-off, whichj during the rotation of'the pockets 8 moves from one side to the other side of each pocket, thereby gradually increasing the size of each pocket during the first half of the revolution anddecreasing the size of the pocket and allowed to exhaust therefrom at the time it .has attained its maximum size, from which it will be clear that the impact of the enterin g steam is first utilized by the impingement of the same against the walls of the-contracted pocket and that then the pocketgradually' :enlarges to allow the steamtoexpandmhei ebyi both the impact and,expansivefenergy of the steam are used. 1-:After eachgpocket-attains its maximum size it comes opposite'the port 4, through which the steam exhausts. The piston-disk practically has a sliding motion across each pocket to effect the described result and the action of the steam is practically continuous, so that the piston has no centers or dead-points and rotates ata substantially uniform speed.

The supply and exhaust ports may be arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder, and

the steam is delivered to each pocket by a groove running from the supply or admission port to thepocket. An admission-port is preferably arranged each quarter-way around the circumference of the cylinder, just a fraction less than a quarter of the way from the smallest size of the pocket. This allows the following wing to close the port before the head wing opens the exhaust. By having admission and exhaust ports at the points indicated the engine is made reversible. When the engine is running one way, the ports may be so arranged as to deliver the steam to the pockets when the latter are of smallest size and the steam allowed to exhaust from the pockets when they reach their maximum size. Any suitable construction and arrangement of the admission and exhaust ports may, however, be employed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my improvod rotary engine will, it is thought, be readily apparent without requiring an extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing provided with admission and exhaust ports,and a shaft; of a piston comprising heads fixed to the shaft, a series of independent radial'vanes extending between the heads and forming a series of radial pockets, a pistondisk loose upon the shaft to have axial play and disposed between the heads, said disk being formed with slots for the passage of the vanes, and means controlling the rotation of the disk in a plane at a diagonal angle to the plane of rotation of the shaft and heads, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine,a piston-disk provided with a central opening and slots radiating therefrom, ashaft extending through the central opening, heads fixed to the shaft on opposite sides of the disk and having sockets in their inner faces, bearing-bosses on the disk seated in said sockets, said bosses having flaring bores allowing the piston to wabble on the shaft,radial vanes extending through the slots and between the heads and forming a series of radial pockets, a casing inclosing the parts, and means controlling the rotation of the disk in a plane at a diagonal angle to the plane of rotation of the shaft and heads, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

TIIOMAS J. IERRIN.

Witnesses: v

LULA PERRIN, JOHN SoUTnnR. 

